Daily Archive: Wednesday, June 18, 2014

The Social Services Committee of Parliament on Friday, June 13, visited the Amerindian Hostel, the East La Penitence Female Lockups, the Sophia Children’s Centre and the Juvenile Holding Centre.

Newly-appointed Indian High Commissioner Venkatachalam Mahalingam (right) today, presented his Letters of Credence to President Donald Ramotar at the Office of the President and called for more efforts to enhance cooperation in several areas.

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, (Reuters) – Holders Spain crashed out of the World Cup today with barely a fight after their second shock defeat while 2010 runners-up the Netherlands continued their perfect start with another high-scoring win.

The University of Guyana (UG) Student Loan Fund has received close to $9 billion since it was created in 1994 and is a revolving one, as such, the cutting of money intended for it this year should not disturb students’ access to loans, says APNU Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge.

The police say they are investigating a fatal accident that occurred at about 1930h.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Australia has hired leading test wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan as a spin bowling consultant as the team prepares for October’s test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

(Trinidad Express) Ten years after stabbing his wife to death at a maxi-stand in Princes Town, Shawn Marcelline was yesterday found guilty of her killing.

The British Guiana One-Cent Magenta postage stamp from 1856, the only one of its kind to still exist, sold for a record US$9.5 million ($1.95b) at Sotheby’s yesterday in New York, Reuters reported.

The University of Guy-ana’s top 25 performing law graduates this year have been guaranteed places at the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) for the coming semester, after months of being in limbo due to a decision by the Council of Legal Education (CLE) against accepting admissions from non-UWI campuses.

The decomposing body of a pensioner was found at his Upper Pomeroon River home last Friday and police are now investigating his death as well as a decision to burn his home with his body in it the day after the discovery.

Over the course of the next six months more than $100 million is expected to be spent to clean up the Le Repentir Cemetery in what Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green is calling a “mere cosmetic operation” by the government.

The bodies of a Guyanese woman and her two children were discovered on Monday in an unlocked car parked in the parking lot of a middle school in Hagerstown, Maryland in the United States.

Haydock Baxter was yesterday sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing his wife Carol Baxter in 2006.

A murder charge was yesterday read to Asaf Alli and Abdool Shazim Razack, the two persons accused of killing 17-year-old taxi-driver Dhanraj Latchman.

The Ministry of Public Works’ River and Sea Defence Unit is currently reviewing the best options to repair sections of the Charity river defence which have been deteriorating over the past few weeks.

With the freeing of the accused in the murder of construction worker Godfrey Jhaggroo, who was shot dead in Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara at the end of last year, Chunramanie Jhaggroo says that her son has suffered a further injustice.

Saying that power needs to be returned to the people, House Speaker Raphael Trotman yesterday sounded a call for “real decision making” to begin at the community-level.

(This is the fifth part in a series on the state of local government considering that elections have not been held in 20 years) By Mario Joseph   Roads are a major problem in the PPP/C stronghold of La Jalousie/Nouvelle Neighbourhood Democratic Community (NDC) though the community appears to be in better shape than others.

Incensed at what it said were attempts by government officials to criminalize the entire mining industry over the 20% drop in gold declarations, the miners association has summoned an emergency meeting for June 26th to address the way forward.

Criminal charges are likely to be laid against four staff members of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) at the centre of physical and sexual abuse allegations made by four girls who were removed from the institution by the Child Care & Protection Agency (CC&PA).

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Opener Kraigg Brathwaite hit his maiden Test hundred and Darren Bravo his sixth, as West Indies dominated the second day of the second Test against New Zealand here yesterday.

After almost losing their home to a serial arsonist last Friday night, a family at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice is still being terrorized by the man who set another fire behind their home on Monday.

  As the countdown intensifies for the World Junior track and field championships, top United States-based coach Shaun Dietz feels Guyana has an excellent chance to produce its best ever display which however can be ruined if the local national governing does not act with more alacrity.

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is advising the public that there will be a temporary interruption of its system today while the company decommissions its old sewer mains to facilitate the activation of the new sewerage system.

FORTALEZA, Brazil, (Reuters) – Hosts and World Cup favourites Brazil were held to a 0-0 draw by Mexico yesterday in an absorbing Group A match in the deafening cauldron of Fortaleza’s Castelao arena.

The charge against Nazir Khan, nabbed while attempting to smuggle 22 Twa Twa birds hidden in hair curlers on to a flight to Canada, was yesterday struck out.

Acting President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Fizul Bacchus yesterday said that he intends to sit with his executives and discuss what penalty will be taken against the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) following the staging of the 2014 May 26 Independence T20 Cup which was not approved.

The fourth annual Digicel national u-18 knockout football championship continues today with six slated divisional matchups programmed across several venues.

The Ministry of Health’s Vector Control Services (VCS) yesterday began the second phase of its fogging activities for mosquitoes in identified wards in the city, GINA said.

Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy has said that reducing the importation of milk and dairy products are the priority goals for local dairy producers even as he outlined plans for improving the breed of cows and starting dairy plants countrywide.

The country’s top softball teams will battle for the Wolf’s Furniture Store softball title when the tournament bowls off Friday at the Banks DIH Limited Thirst Park ground.

East Ruimveldt Secondary defeated Berbice High School 4-2 when the ladies semi-final showdown of the Guyana Sports Development Foundation (GSDF) Pepsi/Scotiabank national tourney started on Sunday.

Months after South American Woods Incorporated (SAW Inc) succeeded in securing an ex parte order from the High Court enabling it to change the terms of the use of land at Leonora, NICIL – the intermediary in the sale – and the lands and survey commission say they were unaware of the legal proceedings.

By U.S. Ambassador D. Brent Hardt   GEORGETOWN – As my tenure in Guyana draws to an end, I was saddened to hear the recent outburst from a prominent religious leader suggesting that his fellow citizens with different sexual orientations should be sent to live on an island.

Location is said to be everything in business and the recently opened multi-purpose complex in South Ruimveldt is being seen by occupants as a good bet.

Ann’s Grove defeated home side Buxton Stars by a 3-1 score line when the Stag Beer/East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) division-one league continued on Saturday at the Buxton Community Ground.

Imran Khan registered a net of 67 to walk away with the first prize in the Scotiabank Golf Tournament held on Saturday at the Lusignan Golf Club.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC- West Indies pacer Jerome Taylor says encouragement from bowling legend Sir Curtly Ambrose has contributed to his recent success with the ball in the current series against New Zealand.

A Pegasus Hotel worker was yesterday admitted to $50,000 bail as he awaits sentencing for stealing six bottles of Hennessy brandy from the hotel.

With the National Com-munications Network (NCN) broadcasting the PPP’s weekly press conference live for the past two weeks, APNU MP Joseph Harmon says the inability of both the ruling party and the state-run broadcaster to address the terms of the arrangement is astonishing but not surprising.

A Brazilian national was yesterday fined a total of $150,000 for forging immigration stamps in his passport.

CUIABA, Brazil, (Reuters) – Veteran Alexander Kerzhakov scored three minutes after coming on as a substitute to rescue a 1-1 draw for Russia in their World Cup Group H opener against South Korea yesterday.

Group B: Australia vs Netherlands –noon Group B: Spain vs Chile -3pm Group A: Cameroon vs Croatia – 6pm

National draughts champion Khemraj Pooranmall continued his winning ways when he won the Guyana Draughts Association 100-square tournament held last weekend at the National Gymnasium.

Global Youth Movement – Guyana recently launched its Berbice Shines Environment Project aimed at promoting clean and healthy communities in regions Five and Six.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-17 limited overs competition will bowl off today with defending champions Essequibo facing Demerara at the Enmore Community Development Centre Ground.

Dear Editor, I would like to publicly compliment the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) which, under its present CEO, Mr Bharat Dindyal has brought light to places in Guyana that had for so long been in darkness, and for trying to bring relief and excellent management to a most corrupt and difficult utility.

Dear Editor,   Regarding your thoughtful June 14 editorial, the move to decriminalize marijuana in Jamaica will definitely be worth watching.

Dear Editor,   I refer to the letter dated June 16 titled ‘The government is trying to hijack a vibrant, well organised and accountable sports entity’ by Anand Kalladeen, Director of WICB.

BAGHDAD, (Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki broadcast a joint appeal for national unity yesterday with bitter Sunni critics of his Shi’ite-led government – a move that may help him win U.S.

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, (Reuters) – Much-fancied Belgium fought back from a goal down to score twice in the final 20 minutes and earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over gutsy Algeria in their World Cup Group H opener yesterday.

The region’s governing body for rugby, North America Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) will assist Guyana’s 26-member contingent with airfare and accommodation expenses for the finals of the NACRA 15s championships in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Dear Editor,   I look around, and despite the clamour, perhaps because of it, I am prompted to ask: whither the presidency today?

DAMATURU, Nigeria, (Reuters) – An explosion tore through a venue in the northeast Nigerian town of Damaturu where fans had gathered to watch a World Cup soccer match yesterday, a police official said, declining to give further details.

Dear Editor, Not so long on the programme ‘Broadcast to schools’ I heard the good doctor in his role as teacher in one of his lessons dealing with our national symbols – the pledge and anthem –imploring students to cultivate certain things in their character and then exercise these in order to be considered good citizens.

The demand by some PPP supporters for the PNC to apologise for its misdeeds, or to at least admit that it made mistakes, demonstrates more of a triumph for PPP propaganda than for reality.

His Excellency President Donald Ramotar along with several former international cricketers are among those listed to compete in the ‘Unity for Cricket’ T20 match set for July 5 at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground in Queenstown.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Britain plans to re-open its embassy in Iran, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said yesterday, saying it would soon establish a small initial presence in Tehran two and a half years after a mob ransacked its embassy there.

(Trinidad Guardian) Two Congress of the People (COP) ministers in the Kamla Persad-Bissessar Cabinet, Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan and Lincoln Douglas, have said the Prime Minister has disrespected the party by retaining Sport Minister Anil Roberts. After

In part 1 of the column, I argued that cultural practices have to be observed within the constraints of politics and economics of the Guyanese society.

It was not so long ago, indeed during the last presidential campaign in the United States, that President Obama felt that he could congratulate himself that his decision to pull American troops out of Iraq had proven to be right; and that Iraq as a major issue in American, and indeed global foreign relations, had been removed from the limelight.

President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) Commander John Flores presented over 50 balls and 10 nets to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to jump start the Hinterland Volleyball Programme 2014.

Dear Editor, As a concerned citizen living in the New Diamond Scheme on the East Bank, I write to inform you that there are three empty house lots near to my lot that have not been weeded for two years or more.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said yesterday he was confident relations with Brazil were on the road to recovery after he assured President Dilma Rousseff that Washington has changed the way it conducts electronic surveillance.

(Trinidad Express) The report into the Caesarean-section death of baby Simeon  is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for immediate investigation, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said on Monday.